"Devil's harborer!"
"Get her! Don't let her and the devil's child go!"
"Mama… I… I can run, mama. I can run!"
"No!"
Screams. Screams that shouted death and roars that demanded life. Alfhild had no idea how long she had been running; her skinny legs, no longer able to take another step, but still... she runs. The people have continued to chase them without end; their arrows, their axes, blades… and even their horses were ready to smash her and her son.
"Mama… I… I can run."
"No…"
Despite all the screams and the thundering gallops of the horses, however, the only thing that Ragnar could really hear was his mother's breaths and the heavy thuds of her heart as she carried him away.
Ragnar doesn't understand — Why? Why would they be doing something like this?
His mother had told him stories of how friendly the others were, giving them food. His mother had also read him stories of how people help each other, and how they were friendly and kind.
But what is this?
Why… why were they trying to hurt his mother?
The royal army and the mages are supposed to protect the people from the beasts and monsters. So why were they trying to hurt him and his mother?
Maybe...
...Is he the monster?
"Ma… just… just let me go, please," Ragnar tried to push himself away from his mother's embrace; but alas, with his small frame and manaless body, he was not even able to move an inch.
"It's… it's okay, my son," Alfhild whispered; her breaths already coming out as stuttered gasps, "I… I promise you, you… you will bask in the sun. It may not be now… but… but you will see the world…
…and the world will see you."
"Ma, it's… okay, it's okay," Ragnar finally stopped struggling as he just embraced his mother; a smile, forming on his face despite the tears that were wanting to trail on his cheeks,
"You… You've done enough, mama," Ragnar breathed in, "You told me if we… if we die, will we go to Valhalla?"
"No… no one's going to die," Alfhild bit her lip as she heard her son's words.
"It's… okay, ma," Ragnar shook his head, "I will…
…I will wait for you there."
"No!" Alfhild's roars caused the sea of trees they were running through to tremble; her legs, gaining speed despite her feet bleeding,
"We can start again… like always."
"It's alright, ma," Ragnar embraced his mother tight, "My… my love for you will transcend the realms of–"
"No!" Alfhild did not let Ragnar continue his words as she also tightened her embrace, "You are my son… you are not allowed to see the gods before me."
"Ma– !!!"
And before Ragnar could even say a word, he felt his vision shift as Alfhild suddenly and violently rolled on the ground several times. 3, 4… or maybe even 10 times, they rolled; hitting the sharp twigs, the hard roots– but even then, Ragnar was completely unharmed.
And before he could even wonder what was happening, Alfhild continued to run, no. She now limped away, almost hopping on one foot as her gasps became heavier. Ragnar tried to touch her face to see if she was alright, but Alfhild moved her head away.
"I'm alright," Alfhild breathed out, "It's not… it's not far from the stream now. Once… once we're there, I have a friend that would take us to–"
"Ma!"
"!!!"
Alfhild could only crouch and once again roll to the ground as a large net suddenly blasted its way towards them from above; but alas, the net was too wide for Alfhild to escape.
"You fucking savages!" Alfhild stretched her hand to the side; and as soon as she did so, it burst into flames. She then quickly grabbed the net, trying to burn it so that they could pass through,
"Fuck your whore mothers and let them die in the flames of Hel!"
But alas, the very moment her hand made contact with the net… the flames instantly disappeared.
"W… what?" Alfhilld tried again and again, but nothing.
And soon, several people started emerging from the bushes and trees– all holding torches. They stretched the flames towards Alfhild and Ragnar almost as if they were animals caught in a trap… but perhaps in this situation, they really were.
"Please… just let us go," Alfhild quickly looked at the people surrounding them, "We've done nothing, my son has done nothing but live."
"Take them away."
"W… where are you taking us!? Please, just my son! Just let my son go and you can do anything to me!" Alfhild ripped off her clothes, causing her finely shaped bosoms to bounce,
"Please, just let my son go! He… he's not a demon!"
"..." The men that were surrounding them only looked at each other… before they proceeded to drag the net without even saying a word.
"Where… where are you taking us!?" Alfhild held Ragnar close to her, "Please, just–"
And before she could finish her words, one of the men kicked her straight on the chin, instantly knocking her out cold. Ragnar had no idea what was happening, but even then; he too, was kicked before he could call for his mother.
And the next moment Ragnar woke up, she heard her mother's voice.
"Wait… don't… don't leave us here! Aren't you supposed to protect us!?"
Ragnar could only hear a loud rumble; the ground itself, he could feel trembling in his palms. It… felt familiar. The damp ground, musky darkness, and the clouded silence Ragnar find himself in feel familiar.
"Please, please don't leave us! We will die in this cave!"
"M… Ma?"
And as soon as he uttered those words, her mother quickly rushed toward him.
"Ragnar, you're awake… you're awake," Alfhild, even in the silent darkness, knew where Ragnar was.
"Where… where are we?"
"It's alright," Alfhild brushed Ragnar's face several times,
"We… we're going to get out of this."
3 days.
3 days have probably passed since Alfhild said that — and they were still trapped inside the darkness.
Alfhild still didn't say it to Ragnar, but they were locked inside some sort of cave– sealed by the people that were chasing them.
Alfhild didn't want her son to hear it, but each time she thought Ragnar was asleep, she tried to use her mana to try and burrow herself out of the cave. But alas, her specialty, fire– was not really effective in this sort of situation.
Ragnar could barely even speak– even lifting up a finger caused his entire body to lose its strength.
"Ma…"
And then, another day passed. If it was not for the trace amounts of water that were dripping on the sides of the cave, then the two would have probably already died– Ragnar, especially.
But then… another day came.
"I… I'm sorry, Ragnar," Alfhild now held Ragnar close to her, cradling him almost like a newborn as she sat on the ground, "Mother… mother is so sorry."
Alfhild could probably survive another week. But for Ragnar who did not have any mana in his body… It was a miracle for him to even be breathing.
"Ma… I… hun… gry," Ragnar whispered; his words, barely tangible.
"I know… I know," Alfhild could only bite her lip… to the point that it started to bleed, "I… know."
But alas, she could do nothing but apologize.
"It… okay… ma."
Alfhild closed her eyes very slowly; her hand, crawling towards Ragnar's throat,
"I… I'm sorry for letting you suffer."
"I… I love you… in all the realms, ma."
"And I love you beyond them, my son."
And right as she was about to tighten her grip to end her son's suffering, she heard a putter. Her eyes quickly trailed towards Ragnar's lips, only to realize that he was licking the blood that dripped from her lips.
"..."
"..."
And without even any hesitation…
…sawed, hammered, and cut her leg without any hesitation.
"Ma… what… what going–"
"Shh… it's alright… eat… Just…
…eat."
Comments (0)
See all